Calling All Mommies!

One of the most difficult parts of being a new mom is knowing what brands to trust when it comes to baby gear and other important baby-related items. I already look back on the past three months and think about some of the purchases we’ve made that had we been veteran parents, we may have registered a bit differently. We switched baby bottles after realizing our Lifefactory glass bottles were leaving Sophia extra gassy thanks to too many bubbles and too much air getting in during feedings (although they will be put to good use because they can easily be turned into sippy cups for when she’s older). I wish we would have done more research when it came to picking out a carseat because I’m finding our Graco Snugride35 a bit cheap – the protective visor lets in too much sun (why do they put a window opening on top of those things??) and it leaves most of her body exposed, even with the bottom protector on. I would have invested in one of those really nice baby swings that I swore were just way too ridiculously expensive. I also would have purchased a nice bassinet instead of using the “napper” attached to our Pack N Play (although Sophia did really like the vibrating aspect of the napper…she just outgrew it too quickly!). Now that we’re moving beyond the newborn stages into infancy, I’m beginning to do some research on some of our next purchases. I’m looking for some input and advice from fellow mommies (and daddies) on what may have worked (or not worked) for your kids to help guide our selections.

First up: the high chair. We purposefully didn’t register for one when we found out we were expecting. I feel like this is one of those purchases that I wanted to wait on for the simple fact that Sophia wouldn’t need it for a few months and we wanted to be sure we got more of the items we really needed in the earliest months. Also, we knew there was a possibility we’d be getting a new kitchen table prior to her using the high chair so we wanted to wait and see what we could accommodate. We’re still waiting on the table but I have a pretty good idea as to what we’re looking for. I go back and forth between getting a full high chair or one of the “me too” chairs that attach directly to the table. Perhaps we’ll end up with both as she grows!? So I’m looking for suggestions on favorite brands, features, or anything else I should be looking for when it comes to selecting a high chair.

Second up: brand of rice cereal. We’re hoping to start Sophia on rice cereal when she’s four months so we have just a month to go! I have been doing so much research on different brands and talking with fellow mommies about their favorites. I’m particularly interested in whether certain brands cause extra gas or extra spit-up since Sophia appears to have a sensitive stomach. I’m looking at organic brands and those that might be readily available at local stores (think Target, Walgreens, Pick N Save). Anyone have experience with rice cereal? Do you have any recommendations on feeding gear (bowls, spoons, etc.) that we should have on hand as we dive into the world of rice cereal, oatmeal, and homemade baby food?

Third up: baby sign language resources. I am so excited to start signing to Sophia and for her to begin to understand the signs and sign back. I think it’s incredibly helpful when babies can communicate their needs and research shows that using sign language as an infant and toddler helps improve verbal skills as well. Research suggests that infants can begin signing back as early as 6-8 months but they can actually begin learning the signs much sooner so we’re preparing to start signing in front of Sophia. Our childcare center also uses sign language and since Sophia will be there two days a week so we’ll also be teaching her grandmas (who will also share in childcare responsibilities) and other caregivers the basic signs so that Sophia can have consistency. With that said, I’m looking for good baby sign language resources – there are so many out there and I have a few that come recommended on Amazon but I trust personal experiences more. Has anyone used baby sign language? Any books, websites, or videos you recommend?

I’m sure this is the first of many times I’ll be soliciting advice from fellow mommy readers so I appreciate all the input and suggestions you may send my way!

Playing Catch-Up

Suddenly my life seems so incredibly busy. I suppose having a baby and returning to work has a little something to do with it. Nonetheless, I find it hard to find time to blog these days. Since I don’t want to forget any of the special memories happening these days, here’s a little recap of the past few weeks (this will likely be incredibly long and include far too many pictures :) ).

Mother’s Day Weekend
I felt so incredibly blessed to be celebrating Mother’s Day this year as a mommy…as Sophia’s mommy. I cannot describe the amount of joy she has brought to my life. It’s true that you cannot understand a mother’s love until you actually become a mother. Every day I feel this overwhelming love and gratitude for Sophia and I cannot imagine what my life would be like without her. Becoming a mom has also caused me to look at my relationship with my own mom in a new way – I have a deeper sense of appreciation for everything she’s done for me throughout my life. I love watching her relationship with Sophia grow. Sophia is absolutely smitten with her grandma and it makes me smile every time the three of us get to spend time together. I am so thankful to have such a wonderful example of what motherhood is all about and I strive to be as good a mom as my mother has been.

Our Mother’s Day celebrations were a bit crazy this year. My mother’s day celebrations actually kicked off on Friday with Mother’s Day tea and dessert at my great grandma’s nursing home. It was a special celebration with my mom and aunts. Saturday, we enjoyed some time with Dave’s grandma who was visiting from Arizona. It was her first time meeting Sophia, who slept through our lunch downtown Cedarburg. On Sunday, we had lunch with Dave’s family and Sophia got to meet her Aunt Katie who flew in to visit from Peru that day. We then celebrated with my family at a family cookout. I felt like I didn’t really get to savor the day with my daughter this year as we ran between visiting our own mother’s and as other people shuffled Sophia from one set of arms to another. Having a baby makes you pause and re-think how you spend those special occasions in your life. I told Dave that next year I’d like to spend a quiet day, just the three of us. I think it’s time we start our own family traditions, especially as we celebrate our first holidays and special occasions together.

















Returning to Work
My maternity leave came to an end last Tuesday and reality set in as I headed back to work. Throughout the week prior to my return I began feeling awful anxiety and I think I had convinced myself the day really wasn’t ever going to come. I wondered if anyone would even notice if I didn’t come back. Unfortunately, my boss was expecting me and I did return. My feelings of anxiety have only multiplied and I find myself unable to concentrate most of the day. My days thinking about diaper changes, feedings, and tummy time have quickly been traded for court hearings, case files, and wait lists. I am thankful that my parents took last week off to care for Sophia while Dave and I were at work. Had she headed straight to daycare I don’t think I would have made it through those first few days. Dave is now home with her for three weeks and they’re enjoying their daddy-daughter time together. There were lots of tears the first couple of days and I still feel those terrible feelings of guilt but I’m finding a little peace knowing that she’s at home with daddy. I will admit, I never thought I’d want to be a stay at home mom but suddenly I have this overwhelming urge to walk straight into my boss’s office and quit. No worries, I’m good at controlling that urge….for now anyways.

Special Visitors
Sophia got to meet both her Aunt Katie and Great Grandma McAvoy in the past few weeks. She also had a special visit from her Godmother, Kelsey. I think she enjoyed seeing some new faces...it must get pretty boring staring at mommy and daddy's faces all day (and night) :)








Three Months
Tomorrow marks Sophia Grace’s third month in this world. She continues to grow and change daily. I’m guessing she’s around 14 pounds now and she’s probably close to 25-26 inches long. She’s just this little chunky monkey who loves to eat and play. She has a beautiful smile and big blue eyes. She is holding her head up on her own and loves sitting in her Bumbo seat. She was doing so well with sleeping until I headed back to work…now she’s giving me a run for my money, waking every few hours. Each night is a little different but we’re quickly learning that Sophia much prefers to be awake and appears to have this fear that if she closes her eyes she’ll miss something terribly important. Dave’s goal for his time off with her is to get her on a consistent napping schedule – so far he’s having better luck than I ever did. Sophia falls asleep much faster in her daddy’s arms than mine…I think she’s already becoming a daddy’s girl. Sophia enjoys going for walks now that it’s getting nicer outside. She’s met a lot of our neighbors who were surprised to learn we had a baby – apparently I hid my pregnancy well over the winter months. Sophia got hit on by her first boy last night, our friend’s five month old son. I’m convinced they were flirting in their cute little baby talk. He may just be one of the few boys Dave approves of her dating in the future. Sophia’s the most smiley in the morning and giggles when she’s super happy. She's starting teething and can often be seen with her hands in her mouth and a sloppy pile of drool rolling down her chin. My favorite thing...Sophia really knows who her mommy and daddy are and it makes my heart melt every time she looks at me with her beautiful big eyes. She’s just such a joy to us and I’m learning to savor every little minute that I have with her.

Two Months

Sophia turned two months old on the 23rd and we visited the doctor last Monday for her check-up. It's amazing how much she's changed in the past month alone. She's gotten soooo much bigger. She was 12.5 pounds at her check-up (up about 4 lbs from her one month visit) and nearly two feet long. She's a healthy baby girl who certainly loves her food! Perhaps the biggest change is her sleeping, as in she is finally sleeping through the night (shouts of joy over here!!). She usually sleeps about six hours, wakes for an hour feeding, and sleeps another three hours. It happened all of a sudden, around 8 weeks old, after our sweet neighbor/friend stopped in for a post-bath, night-time visit and rocked her to sleep. After that, she began sleeping like a baby. I'm now convinced that Carol is secretly the baby whisperer :) Sophia is also much more interactive now. She loves the birdies on the mobile on her playmat and she loves looking at the pictures when we read her books. She absolutely loves having her diaper changed and is always super smiley while lying on her changing table. She has discovered her hands and now prefers sucking on them more than her pacifier (fine by me!). Sophia still has that strong, demanding personality - when she wants something she needs it immediately, which can be challenging when preparing a bottle. However, it does make it pretty easy to tell what she wants. She still usually only cries when she's hungry, needs her diaper changed, or is incredibly overtired. She likes to be in constant motion, usually kicking up a storm with her tiny feet (seriously, her feet are so small, not even the newborn sized socks fit yet). We've gone back to swaddling her up when she sleeps so that she doesn't wake herself up with all her movements! She's also at the age where she's developing stranger anxiety. She is certainly aware when someone she hasn't met or doesn't know well is holding her. Dave and I both get anxious when other people are holding her and she cries - we hate to hear those little cries! Plus, this momma has to head back to work next week (huge groan) so I much prefer to keep her close to me, soaking in every last minute of each day with her. I know she'll get to know her other caretakers pretty well in the coming months as she begins childcare and her days with her grandmas.

I'm still amazed every day at how much joy Sophia Grace brings to our lives. I always tell people that I can't remember what life was like before she came along. While the first eight weeks or so were certainly challenging as we adjusted to life with a newborn, and I had my moments where I doubted my abilities as a mother, I wouldn't trade my life as Sophia's mommy for anything. She's the greatest blessing we've ever received.

Eight weeks old


Eight and a half weeks old


Nine weeks old


Nine weeks old, enjoying the Belly Button book


Nine and a half weeks old, rocking the skinny white jeans her daddy picked out at Baby Gap (she's way trendier than her mommy)